The Supreme Court agreed yesterday to decide whether disabled golfer Casey Martin has a legal right to ride in a golf cart between shots at major tournaments.

The high court said it would hear a PGA Tour appeal of conflicting lower-court rulings on whether the Americans with Disabilities Act requires an exemption for players like Martin who cannot easily walk the course during competition.

Martin, 28, sued the PGA in 1997, arguing that his painful circulatory disorder in his right leg keeps him from walking long distances.

The PGA’s walking rule requires golfers to cover 20 to 25 miles on foot in a typical four-day tournament.

“Golf is a game of shot-making, not walking,” Martin said in his court filing.

In March, a U.S. appeals court in San Francisco ruled that Martin must be allowed to use a golf cart.

The tour welcomed yesterday’s decision to review that ruling

“The tour reiterates that this issue has been from the start about the tour’s ability to set and implement the rules of its competitions,” the PGA Tour said.